TIP 3 — NO MANDARIN NO PROBLEM

Don't Speak Mandarin? No Problem. These four things get you through everything.

Kevin Kit Ho

Kevin Kit Ho

Shenzhen, China

Point your phone camera at any menu using Google Translate. It translates in real time. Download the Chinese language pack offline before you cross.

Screenshot the Chinese characters of any destination from this guide and show it to metro staff or drivers. Works every time.

Use DiDi for all taxis — type your destination in English and the app handles the rest.

In restaurants — point at the photo menu or whatever the table next to you is eating. Say wǒ yào zhège 我要这个 — I want this one. That's all you need.

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